“Don’t see them coming back” - Ajay Jadeja feels it’s curtains for Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara

Former India player Ajay Jadeja thinks Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara’s Test careers are virtually over following their axing for the series against Sri Lanka at home.

Both veteran players, who have been struggling for form in the last few seasons, were not picked in the squad for the two-match Test series against the Lankans. While announcing the decision, Chief Selector Chetan Sharma said that they can still make a comeback by playing well in domestic cricket.

According to Jadeja, though, that seems next to impossible. Discussing the future of the two experienced batters, the former captain told Cricbuzz:

“Both are single-format players, and when you leave them out of that one format, I don’t see them coming back. I hope I am wrong because these are stalwarts. They have played 80-90 Test matches. There is enough talent that is around. The next generation that has come has pushed them.”

If Pujara and Rahane do not play another Test, it will be the latest instance of senior players in Indian cricket not being able to leave on their own terms. Debating the trend, wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik reflected:

“It is a hard one. I don’t think in Indian cricket, over a period of time, many people have had the opportunity to say goodbye the way they wanted. It has always been a sad story."

"That’s how it is going to be. There’s Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara for the moment. It will be somebody else later, and that’s how it’s always going to roll.”

In recent years, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan have been among big names in Indian cricket who were dropped from the national squad before they announced their retirement.

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“Dropping Rahane and Pujara after losing one series is unfair” - Ajay Jadeja

While Jadeja doesn’t see a comeback in sight for the veteran Indian duo, he described the decision to drop Rahane and Pujara as unfair. According to the 51-year-old, the two experienced players were singled out for the loss in South Africa. He elaborated in this regard:

“It is sad. If it was done a year and a half ago, when India were still at the top and winning, I would have backed that decision. Dropping Rahane and Pujara after losing one series is unfair. Then you are singling out these two, and that’s not the way to build sides.”

While Rahane scored 136 runs in three Tests at an average of 22.67 during the series in South Africa, Pujara managed only 124 runs at an average of 20.67.